Travel and tourism courses

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Whatever stage your career is at, a qualification in travel and tourism could give your professional future a significant boost. Here are some popular options…

Travel and tourism degrees

Undergraduate degrees in travel and tourism are commonplace. They're often combined with business-related subjects such as finance, accounting, management or human resources (HR), or widely spoken languages such as French, Spanish or Italian.

The Complete University Guide 2017 ranks the University of Surrey, the University of Strathclyde, Coventry University, the University of Lincoln and Aberystwyth University as the strongest institutions that offer Bachelors degrees in travel and tourism. These institutions provide the following courses:

University of Surrey - BSc International Tourism Management; BSc International Hospitality and Tourism Management.

University of Strathclyde - BA Accounting and Hospitality and Tourism; BA Business Enterprise and Hospitality and Tourism; BA Hospitality and Tourism Management and Business Law; BA Hospitality and Tourism Management; BA Hospitality and Tourism Management and Human Resource Management; BA Italian and Hospitality and Tourism; BA Hospitality and Tourism Management and Management; BA Hospitality and Tourism Management and Marketing; BA Spanish and Hospitality and Tourism; BA French and Hospitality and Tourism; BA Business Analysis and Technology and Hospitality and Tourism Management; BA Finance and Hospitality and Tourism.

Postgraduate travel and tourism courses

Regardless of whether your undergraduate degree is in travel and tourism or not, a Masters could prove extremely useful to your career prospects. It provides non-travel and tourism graduates with the opportunity to broaden their skillset, and travel and tourism graduates with the opportunity to further specialise.

Travel and tourism apprenticeships

If university isn't for you, an apprenticeship in travel and tourism may be. This sector perhaps offers more types of apprenticeship than any other. Possible areas of study include:

activity leadership (Regulated Qualifications Framework Level 2);

cabin crew (Level 2);

leisure operations (Level 2);

playwork (Level 2/3);

spectator safety (Level 2/3);

travel services (Level 2/3);

leisure management (Level 3);

outdoor programmes (Level 3).

Apprentices typically earn between £80 and £300 per week, with annual salaries potentially rising to above £30,000 post-qualification. Apprenticeships exist nationwide, but most opportunities are based in and around London.

Thomas Cook and Thomson both offer apprenticeship schemes. Thomas Cook's two-year scheme allows participants to complete a Level 2 and Level 3 apprenticeship in travel services, working at head office or in one of the organisation's retail stores or sales centres. Thomson, meanwhile, offers several apprenticeship schemes, including the two-year Thomson Shop apprenticeship, which results in an apprenticeship in travel services, and the seasonal JCA Apprentice Activity Instructor, which results in an activity leadership apprenticeship.